Injury Prevention and the role of a Physiotherapist

Author: Sophie Garrity

Sophie is a qualified physiotherapist graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Doctor of Physiotherapy.Her areas of interest include Pilates, women’s health, occupational rehabilitation and low back pain. She finds it extremely rewarding to see how treatment and participation from patients can create significant changes in their conditions and overall quality of life.Sophie is passionate about creating a meaningful experience for all of her patients; she enjoys building rapport and providing a patient-centred approach to her patients. Outside of the clinic, Sophie enjoys great Melbourne coffee, going to the gym, running (socially!), travelling, spending time with family and friends as well as trying out new restaurants and bars Melbourne has to offer.

Injury Prevention and the role of a Physiotherapist

In an age where we can track most daily occurrences and habits through technology the role of a physiotherapist is changing from an injury management perspective to an injury prevention perspective.

As highly trained health professionals, physiotherapists have the skills and knowledge to be able to empower and educate patients on how to prevent injuries.

Listen to your body

Waiting for an injury to occur before taking notice may turn what could be a quick fix into a longer rehabilitation program. Those little aches, niggles, pains and stiffness you experience are the first signs something may need to be addressed. Being proactive and addressing these niggles and potential weaknesses in your body may help prevent an injury.

Returning to sport after a break

Have you taken a break from your exercise routine over Christmas and New Year and are now having trouble getting motivated to return? With the New Year well underway here are our top tips to help motivate and get back exercising during 2017.

Don’t beat yourself up

If you’ve taken a break or overindulged don’t punish yourself by thinking you need to exercise to get back in shape. You are more likely to commit and continue with regular exercise if you find an exercise or activity you enjoy.

Goal setting for 2017

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution and within a few days, a week or even a month, you relapse into you old habits and end up back where you started?

Resolutions, in the true sense of the word, can be hard to keep. A resolution by definition is something that you will decide to do or not do. For example, ‘I will not eat chocolate’. They can be quite rigid and overwhelming to stick to so instead of setting a resolution why not focus on goals?

Here are our top tips for helping you succeed in 2017 with your New Year’s goals.

Christmas shopping and neck/shoulder/back care

With Christmas just around the corner, how are you going to make sure you look after your neck, shoulders and back during the busy festive season?

Whether you are food shopping, buying gifts or even your everyday handbag; lifting and carrying heavy bags places additional stress on your shoulders, neck and back that can lead to an increased risk of injury.

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body. It moves in a variety of directions, and therefore what we gain in mobility we give up in stability. With this in mind it is important that we protect this complex joint as we lift more over the Christmas period.